1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lever fitting-type connector in which a connector is fitted into a mating connector by pivotally moving a lever mounted on the connector.
2. Related Art
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Hei. 6-275337 discloses one known conventional lever fitting-type connector. As shown in FIG. 7, this lever fitting-type connector comprises a female connector 1, a fitting-disconnecting lever 2 pivotally mounted on the female connector 1 by pivot shafts 6, and a male connector 3 for fitting into the female connector 1.
Driven pins 4 are formed on opposite side surfaces of the male connector 3, respectively. Pin guide notches 5 for respectively receiving the driven pins 4 are formed in opposite side walls of the female connector 1 . Drive cam grooves 7 are formed in the lever 2, and a side plate 2a extends across an open end portion of each of the drive cam grooves 7, that is, extends from one side edge of the drive cam groove 7 to the other side edge thereof, and a lower end portion 2b of the side plate 2 is held against the other side edge of the drive cam groove 7. In this construction, when the driven pins 4 on the male connector 3 are fitted into the lever 2 while expanding it, the lower end portion 2b of each side plate 2a is disengaged from the edge of the associated drive cam groove 7, so that the lever 2 can be pivotally moved. In accordance with the pivotal movement of the lever 2, the male connector 3 is connected to the female connector 1.
In the above conventional lever fitting-type connector, however, the thickness of the whole of the lever 2, including the side plates 2a, need to be increased in order to prevent the lower end portion 2b of each side plate 2a from being disengaged from the edge of the associated drive cam groove 7, and another requirement, contradictory to the above requirement, is that the side plates 2a of the lever 2 can be easily flexed (elastically deformed) in order to reduce an inserting force required for inserting the male connector 3, and the conventional lever fitting-type connector could not satisfied the two requirements.